Frequently Asked Questions
This is the list of Frequently-Asked Questions about the Fivenights.com service. It has answers to most of the common questions people ask about us and renting a room for fivenights in particular. The FAQ is intended as a first point of reference for lodgers and landlords and we hope you find what you are looking for here. Whilst we hope to cover most things, this list is not exhaustive. If you do not find an answer here, please contact us and we will do our best to answer your questions quickly.
General Questions
Are my personal details kept private?
What happens if I lose my login details?
What do you do with my personal information?
What are the system requirements for running this site?
What happens if I have a problem running the site or need to ask a question I don’t see here?
Questions
How can I make my advert stand out?
I'm a landlord, how do I renew my membership?
What additional services could I offer to my lodger?
What happens when my membership expires?
I'm a lodger, how do I renew my membership?
I am going to be making use of the “rent a room scheme”, do I need to speak to my local tax office?
What do I need to do when I wish to remove my advert?
Why doesn’t my advert appear straight away?
Does Fivenights.com let me know when I have a person interested in my spare room?
How much extra income can I make?
What are the advantages of taking in lodger?
Do I need to tell my mortgage company?
Will my house insurance policy be enough?
I rent my house – will I still be able to take in a lodger?
How do I set the level of rent?
How do I set the level of deposit?
How can I be sure that the lodger is who they say they are?
Where should I keep the deposit?
What house rules should I set?
How long should I hold onto the deposit?
Should I allow my lodger to leave personal items in the room over the weekend?
What furnishings should I provide in the room?
Should I provide a furnished room or an unfurnished one?
How can I maximise the chance of someone taking the room?
Do you have a checklist of things that need to be done to help impress a lodger.
What are the health and safety issues?
What areas of the country does Fivenights.com cover?
How do I know I will be able to get on with my lodger.
What forms and checklists does Fivenights.com provide?
What sorts of checks are available and how much do they cost.
What is an landlord-lodger agreement document and why is it important?
How do I terminate the lodger agreement?
How much notice does my lodger need to give?
How much notice do I need to give my lodger?
What bills should and should not be included in the agreement?
What access will I have to my spare room?
What about overnight visitors?
What happens if my lodger loses their keys?
Should I have a second phone line installed for my lodger?
What household facilities should be provided?
I have changed my advert and now I cannot see it – what has happened?
Can I include photos in my advert?